Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur has appointed Professor Neeraj Dwivedi as its new director in what is a pivotal change of leadership for the organization. Prof Dwivedi brings over 25 years of diverse experience in academia, corporate governance, and executive leadership to the role. His appointment is expected to bring new strategic directions to IIM Kashipur as it continues to establish its academic presence and growth of institutions.

Prof Dwivedi’s academic journey is distinguished by associations with some of the premier management institutions in India and abroad. Prior to his appointment at IIM Kashipur, he was a senior faculty member at IIM Lucknow, one of India’s most reputed business schools. At IIM Lucknow, he was a teacher and instructor of strategic management and was also in key leadership positions such as dean of faculty and programmes, chairperson for postgraduate programmes, admissions, student affairs, and placements. He was also a member of the institute’s Board of Governors and made important contributions to institutional policymaking and governance.

One of his greatest contributions to IIM Lucknow has been guiding the initiative that resulted in the institute achieving the widely sought after AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation. This achievement was a reflection of the educational and administrative international standards attained on his watch. His initiatives in faculty development and infrastructure establishment, and process improvements in academic and admission processes, have resulted in sustainable contributions to the operational excellence of the institute.

Prof Dwivedi is also renowned for having been the 2017 national convener of the Common Admission Test (CAT), where he supervised the smooth and efficient administration of one of India’s biggest-stakes and logistically most challenging exams. Administering CAT 2017 at hundreds of centres and for more than two lakh test-takers also proved his capability to conduct high-stakes operations with precision and integrity.

Prior to joining his role in IIM Lucknow, Prof Dwivedi was also connected with other prestigious institutions like IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, School of Management. Having gained experience from such a variety of academic settings, he has been imparted an international perspective in terms of education trends, academic innovations, and institution building.

Being an IIM Lucknow alumnus himself, Prof Dwivedi has his Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) specialisation in Strategic Management. He is also an MTech degree holder from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur and BTech from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. This rigorous academic background has not only affected his pedagogy and research skills but has also helped him create and direct applicable executive education programs for India’s leading corporate companies.

Prof Dwivedi has had the privilege of collaborating with some of the marquee companies on his executive education client list such as NTPC, Indian Oil, ONGC, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tata Play, and many more. He is best known for his subject matter expertise in strategic management, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and leadership development. His skill to span the divide between academic ideas and the marketplace has made his programmes extremely popular among both public and private sector businesses.

Besides his teaching and administrative success, Prof Dwivedi is also a successful researcher and book author. He has made significant contributions to voluminous management literature through research articles, case studies, and development of curriculum. His scholarly work has been acclaimed at various high-profile forums. Amongst his list of achievements are the Best Case Award at IIM Bangalore’s Strategic Management Forum Convention in 2010, Overall Best Research Paper Award at San Antonio IAMB Conference in 2013, and Best Doctoral Student Paper Award at IAMB Rome conference of 2014. His elective in mergers and acquisitions was selected as the best strategy elective at IIM Lucknow twice. One of his joint research papers was also announced runner-up for the best paper award in the 2024 INDAM Conference, Goa.

In his first public address as director, Prof Neeraj Dwivedi declared a steadfast commitment to drive IIM Kashipur’s institutional vision. “IIM Kashipur has immense potential that I would strive to realize along with our board of governors, faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders. Together, through our best efforts, I am confident that we can drive a new chapter of excellence and expansion for IIM Kashipur and look forward to a fruitful partnership,” he stated.

As IIM Kashipur continues to succeed in becoming a hub of academic excellence and innovation, the arrival of Prof Dwivedi is a sign of a brighter new future. With his leadership qualities established through his credentials, his international academic orientation, and his profound knowledge of institution-building, his time is poised to usher in strategic direction and consolidate the institute’s presence in the national and international landscape.